Let us first make it clear that many non Ahmadis have the misconception that it is not possible for a prophet to forget when this is not true at all. There is a possibility that a prophet may forget something and misquote a reference for example. Here are the proofs of a prophet forgetting:
Hadhrat Adam(as)’s incident of forgetting mentioned in Qur’an:
And verily, We had made a covenant with Adam beforehand, but he forgot, and We found in him no determination to disobey.(Chapter 20 verse 116)
An incident of Moses(as) forgetting in the Qur’an:
But when they reached the place where the two seas met, they forgot their fish, and it made its way into the sea going away swiftly. And when they had gone further, he said to his young companion: ‘Bring us our morning meal. Surely, we have suffered much fatigue on account of this journey of ours.’(Chapter 18 verse 62-63)
Holy Prophet Muhammad(saw) could forget according to the Qur’an and has made mistakes:
We shall teach thee the Qur’an, and thou shalt forget it not, Except as Allah wills. Surely, He knows what is open and what is hidden.(Chapter 87 verses 7-8)
He frowned and turned aside, Because there came to him the blind man. And what makes thee know that he may be seeking to purify himself, Or he may take heed and the Reminder may benefit him? As for him who is disdainfully indifferent. Unto him thou dost pay attention,(Chapter 80 verse 2-7)
Another incident from the life of the Prophet(saw) in Qur’an:
O Prophet! why dost thou forbid thyself that which Allah has made lawful to thee, seeking the pleasure of thy wives? And Allah is Most Forgiving, Merciful.(Chapter 66 verse 2)
Now let us go to the Ahadith and see some mistakes in the lifetime of the Holy Prophet Muhammad(Saw). In fact there is an entire book in Sahih Bukhari that is named after forgetfulness in prayer. Here is one example:
حَدَّثَنَا حَفْصُ بْنُ عُمَرَ، حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ صَلَّى النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِحْدَى صَلاَتَىِ الْعَشِيِّ ـ قَالَ مُحَمَّدٌ وَأَكْثَرُ ظَنِّي الْعَصْرَ ـ رَكْعَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ سَلَّمَ ثُمَّ قَامَ إِلَى خَشَبَةٍ فِي مُقَدَّمِ الْمَسْجِدِ فَوَضَعَ يَدَهُ عَلَيْهَا وَفِيهِمْ أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرُ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ فَهَابَا أَنْ يُكَلِّمَاهُ وَخَرَجَ سَرَعَانُ النَّاسِ فَقَالُوا أَقَصُرَتِ الصَّلاَةُ وَرَجُلٌ يَدْعُوهُ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ذُو الْيَدَيْنِ فَقَالَ أَنَسِيتَ أَمْ قَصُرَتْ فَقَالَ “ لَمْ أَنْسَ وَلَمْ تُقْصَرْ ”. قَالَ بَلَى قَدْ نَسِيتَ. فَصَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ سَلَّمَ ثُمَّ كَبَّرَ فَسَجَدَ مِثْلَ سُجُودِهِ أَوْ أَطْوَلَ، ثُمَّ رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ فَكَبَّرَ، ثُمَّ وَضَعَ رَأْسَهُ فَكَبَّرَ فَسَجَدَ مِثْلَ سُجُودِهِ أَوْ أَطْوَلَ، ثُمَّ رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ وَكَبَّرَ.
Narrated Abu Huraira:
The Prophet (ﷺ) offered one of the evening prayers (the sub-narrator Muhammad said, “I think that it was most probably the `Asr prayer”) and he finished it after offering two rak`at only. He then stood near a price of wood in front of the Mosque and put his hand over it. Abu Bakr and `Umar were amongst those who were present, but they dared not talk to him about that (because of excessive respect for him), and those who were in a hurry went out. They said, “Has the prayer been reduced?” A man who was called Dhul-Yadain by the Prophet (ﷺ) said (to the Prophet), “Has the prayer been reduced or have you forgotten?” He said, “Neither have I forgotten, nor has the prayer been reduced.” He said, “Certainly you have forgotten.” So the Prophet (ﷺ) offered two more rak`at and performed Taslim and then said Takbir and performed a prostration of Sahu like his ordinary prostration or a bit longer and then raised his head and said Takbir and then put his head down and performed a prostration like his ordinary prostration or a bit longer, and then raised his head and said Takbir.(Sahih Bukhari Volume 2, Book 22, Hadith #321)
Another hadith states:
Narrated `Abdullah:
The Prophet (ﷺ) prayed (and the sub-narrator Ibrahim said, “I do not know whether he prayed more or less than usual”), and when he had finished the prayers he was asked, “O Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ)! Has there been any change in the prayers?” He said, “What is it?’ The people said, “You have prayed so much and so much.” So the Prophet (ﷺ) bent his legs, faced the Qibla and performed two prostration’s (of Sahu) and finished his prayers with Taslim (by turning his face to right and left saying: ‘As-Salamu `Alaikum- Warahmat-ullah’). When he turned his face to us he said, “If there had been anything changed in the prayer, surely I would have informed you but I am a human being like you and liable to forget like you. So if I forget remind me and if anyone of you is doubtful about his prayer, he should follow what he thinks to be correct and complete his prayer accordingly and finish it and do two prostrations (of Sahu).(Sahih Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 8, Hadith #394)
Here is another example:
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ أَبِي رَجَاءٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ، عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ سَمِعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم رَجُلاً يَقْرَأُ فِي سُورَةٍ بِاللَّيْلِ فَقَالَ “ يَرْحَمُهُ اللَّهُ لَقَدْ أَذْكَرَنِي كَذَا وَكَذَا آيَةً كُنْتُ أُنْسِيتُهَا مِنْ سُورَةِ كَذَا وَكَذَا ”.
Narrated Aisha:
Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) heard a man reciting the Qur’an at night, and said, “May Allah bestow His Mercy on him, as he has reminded me of such-and-such Verses of such-and-such Suras, which I was caused to forget.(Volume 6, Book 61, Hadtih #558)
The Prophet(saw) did not forget the Qur’an when it was being revealed this was much later showing forgetfulness is normal.
Firstly its possible that Ahmad(As) forgot because its clear that he knew the mahdi is not mentioned by Imam Bukhari or Imam Muslim as he himself writes:
“I say that the narrations of the Mahdi are not free from weakness which is why the two great Imams of Hadith [i.e., al-Bukhari and Muslim] did not record them.” (Izalah-e Auham, Ruhani Khaza’in, Vol. 3, p. 406)
Either Ahmadas forgot or there was an error in the transmission process from Ahmadas to the pen man. However, this hadith does indeed exist and is available in the non Ahmadi books as well. It is also possible that this hadith was available in a version of Bukhari as well. It has also been quoted to be in Bukhari from the non Ahmadi Muslim scholars including the grandson of Maulana Qasim Nanotwi who was the founder of the Deoband school of thought who also stated that this hadith exists in Sahih Bukhari which shows us that such a edition must have existed:
’’ مہدی علیہ السلام کے بارے میں کچھ علامتیں آئی ہیں۔ مثلًا یہ کہ مہدی علیہ السلام کا مکہ مکرمہ میں ظہور ہوگا۔ اور یہ حدیث صحیح بخاری شریف میں موجود ہے کہ غیب سے آواز آئے گی اور وہ آواز یہ ہوگی۔ ھٰذَا خَلِیْفَۃُ اللّٰہِ الْمَھْدِی فَاسْتَمِعُوْا لَہٗ وَ اَطِیْعُوہُ۔ یعنی یہ اللہ کے خلیفہ مہدی ہیں ان کی بات مانو اور ان کی اطاعت کرو۔‘‘ (مجالس حکیم الاسلام مولانا قاری محمد طیب صاحب۔جلد اول۔ صفحہ۔227)
It is also stated:
And on that day, a voice will be heard from the sky calling out: “Verily, the allies of Allah are the companions of so-and-so” – meaning the Mahdi. (Al’ Arf al Wardi Fi Akhbar al Mahdi, Hadith #166)
The hadith is in the book of Imam Suyuti and is narrated by many scholars who are desperately waiting for the Mahdi, although they know his time has passed and he should have already came. In reality he came, but they did not recognize him. The non Ahmadi Muslims try to claim Ahmadas had lied about this hadith God forbid but this only occurs because they haven’t read the books of Ahadith. Calling someone a liar because of forgetulness would mean that the non Ahmadis believe prophets are liars as well.
And on that day, a voice will be heard from the sky calling out: “Verily, the allies of Allah are the companions of so-and-so” – meaning the Mahdi. (Al’ Arf al Wardi Fi Akhbar al Mahdi, Hadith #166)
The hadith does indeed exist in the book of Imam Suyuti (ra) and is quoted by many scholars who are desperately waiting the mahdi, although they know he was to come 100 years ago, and we by the grace of Allah are certain that he already has come.
Here are examples of Sunni scholars also forgetting which shows that it makes no sense for the anti Ahmadis to accuse Ahmad(as) or they would first have to accuse the Prophet(saw) and other prophets for forgetting.
